Sports Talk

Tim Duncan has to be least popular all time great player in NBA history

Posted 5/28/2012 at 7:43:47 AM

I have never seen a player of his stature (obvious no question first ballot hall of famer) who generates less fan fare and national excitement than Tim Duncan. If you took a poll (Outside of San Antonio of course) and asked NBA fans to list the elite players over the past 25 years you'd hear all the usual suspects: MJ, Kobe, Ewing, Barkley, Pippen, Malone, Stockton, Garnett, LeBron, Wade, Shaq, Nowitski, Miller, Kidd, Hakeem, Robinson, Drexler, etc. etc. It would take some time before people remembered Duncan. All Tim Duncan does is win and play the game the right way.

I don't get it. What Duncan and the Spurs have accomplished over the past 15 years is incredible. Yes, they got lucky that had the opportunity to draft both both Duncan/David Robinson, but any team could have had Parker or Ginobli. Their scouting department is awesome and they know how to balance the roster with the right complimentary roll players (I wish my Knicks would follow suit; but I digress) Heck, even their coach (who is one of the best) is sometimes an afterthought in people's mind.

Will they beat the Thunder? It will certainly be tough. But if you are an NBA fan you can not help but marvel at the consistency of the Spurs during the Duncan era.